WEST HAVEN, Conn. — Editor's Note: The video above was published on March 9, 2023.
One of the people involved in a fraud scheme involving stealing $1.2 million in COVID-19 aid money from West Haven was sentenced to eight years in prison on Monday.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Avery said 50-year-old John Trasacco, who had conspired with former State. Rep. Michael DiMassa in the scheme, was sentenced to prison followed by five years of supervised release. Trasacco had been found guilty of conspiracy and fraud offenses regarding the fraud scheme.
DiMassa had conspired with Trasacco by submitting fraudulent invoices from L & H company and JIL Sanitation Services – two companies controlled by Trasacco – for goods and services that were never done for the city of West Haven.
Some of those included thousands of units of PPE and HVAC maintenance at multiple municipal locations, COVID-19 supplies for the Board of Education, and other cleaning services for various school buildings – including one that had been vacant and abandoned for several years.
According to investigators, Trasacco's companies received over $430,000 through the scheme.
On Dec. 2, 2022, a jury found Trasacco guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. A judge ordered Trasacco to pay $143,994 in restitution.
Trasacco, who had been released on bond, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of Monday’s court proceeding.
On Nov. 1, 2022, DiMassa pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing and has agreed to pay restitution of $1,216,541.80.
On June 14, 2022, John Bernardo, a West Haven city employee who formed a company Dimassa that they used to bill the city for fraudulent COVID-related consulting services, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On March 22, he was sentenced to 13 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $58,927.25 in restitution.
On July 14, 2022, Michal DiMassa’s wife, Lauren DiMassa, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On March 23, she was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $147,776 in restitution.
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